Everyone wants kids to be healthy & fit. Good food provides energy for growth & development, improves immunity & protects from many infectious diseases. For good health & nutrition kids must include following food in there daily meals.
Milk
Milk helps build strong bones because it's full of calcium and vitamin D. one glass is also high in phosphorus, vitamin B12 and potassium, and has 8 grams of protein.
Babies shouldn't have cow's milk until age 1. Offer whole milk until age 2 but keep it under 30 ml for the day or they might be too full to eat their food.
If your child doesn't like cow's milk, there are a variety of alternatives but check the nutrition labels and choose unsweetened or plain varieties for your kids. Plain may have some added sugar to match the sweetness of dairy milk, which may be more palatable to tiny taste buds. Every alternative milk has a slightly different nutrition profile. Soymilk has the most protein, and you'll get the same calcium and vitamin D benefit as long as the milk is fortified.
Eggs
One large egg has 6 grams of protein and delivers vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iron. Some eggs are also fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, which aid in kids' brain development. Don't worry about the cholesterol—saturated and trans fats have a bigger impact on raising bad cholesterol than eggs.
At breakfast, scramble some eggs for your kids instead. If your kids aren't fans of scrambled, try different presentations like omelette, sandwich, egg salad or hard boiled egg.
Nuts & Seeds
Swap the low-fiber, crunchy kid snacks for nuts and seeds to deliver a healthful trio of fiber, protein and healthy fats. Mix it up by offering cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and more. If your child has a tree nut allergy, seeds may be a safe choice and a good way to get important nutrition.
Nuts are high in magnesium, a mineral that's crucial in bone development and energy production. Walnuts, pecans, chia seeds and flaxseeds are high in alpha-linolenic (ALA) acid, a type of omega-3 fat that the body can't make (so you have to eat it).
Offer nuts alone or with dried fruit, throw flaxseed into smoothies, sprinkle chia seeds on peanut butter toast, use sliced almonds to "bread" chicken instead of breadcrumbs or make your own granola bars.
Whole Grains
Whole grains deliver a nutrient lacking in most kids' diets: fiber. Fiber keeps them full and regular, in addition to other health benefits. Kids need about 25 grams per day, but many snacks only contain 1-3 grams per serving. Look for 100% whole wheat or whole grain in the ingredients list and at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving.
High-fiber whole-grain foods for kids include oatmeal, whole-wheat roti / paratha, whole-wheat bread & brown rice. If your kids don't tolerate whole-wheat, try half whole-wheat, half-white. You can also use whole-wheat flour or white whole-wheat flour when making pancakes, cookies or pizza dough.
Vegetables
Kids and adults alike don't eat enough veggies. Try to make them tasty & yummy with your cooking skills. Add more colour and the greater the variety of vegetables. Each colour delivers different nutrients: Leafy greens like spinach and kale are high in vitamin K, orange and red vegetables have vitamin A, peppers are packed with vitamin C, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower contain cancer-fighting compounds and feed good gut bacteria.
Make veggies easy and accessible. Wash and cut celery, carrot and cucumber sticks and keep them in the fridge for snacking. If you have some green space available, plant a small garden with cherry tomatoes and sweet baby peppers; when kids grow their own food they are proud of the results, and therefore more willing to indulge in the bounty.
Introduce new vegetables along with ones that your child is already familiar with. Make-your-own taco bars or pizza night at home are great ways to encourage young chefs!
Don't give up after offering a vegetable a few times. It takes repeated exposure. Switching up how you serve the vegetables can help too. Some kids won't eat raw tomatoes but will eat cooked diced tomatoes in a pasta sauce.
Berries
One cup of berries has 4 (or more) grams of fiber and is high in vitamin C and other antioxidants like anthocyanins. Blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are also lower in sugar than many fruits. Fresh berries make an excellent snack for kids or a great topping for yogurt. If berries aren't in season, buy unsweetened frozen berries and mix them into a jar of overnight oats or a smoothie
Beans
Beans are a very nutritious food. They're loaded with protein and fiber, plus they're cheap and take little time to prepare. black beans, chickpeas or kidney beans.
Replacing animal proteins with beans in food helps maintain high-quality, lean protein while adding a key nutrient: fiber. There are pastas made from beans too.
Kids ages 4 to 8 need around 25 grams of fiber a day, and most products marketed directly to kids, like fruit snacks and cheese crackers, contain little if any. Fiber helps promote healthy digestion and helps your kids feel fuller, longer, so they aren't asking you for a snack 5 minutes after dinner ends.
Fruits
1 serving of fruit in a day is essential for health. fruits are rich in carbs, vitamins, minerals & fibre. Different fruits are available in each season. Keep fruit basket on dining table. Eating fruits is better & more healthy option than fruit juice. If kids do not like eating fruits you can give milk shakes with fruits or in form of different smoothies.
Sprouts
Sprouts are healthy source of plant based proteins. Its also rich in fibre. Using mixed sprouts with cereals provides all essential amino acids for health. these are healthy breakfast & snacks options.
